My gift from Laurie

I could hardly believe it when I opened my BASG gift from Laurie!
I think it is the most beautiful thing!!!!!
And knowing that it was from Laurie, a dear friend of mine made it even better. I could not help but get tears in my eyes, I was so touched and love it so much.

She did the tiniest work. Gorgeous work. I just love birds, I'm sure you've all figured that out by looking at the things I've done.
And flowers! OMG! Yes, flowers, flowers, flowers.

A favorite book of mine is The Secret Garden. I read it as a child and loved it.
My grandparents had the most beautiful gardens and as a child, I learned all the different kinds of flowers.

I love what Laurie created and I love Laurie!!!!!

BASG Gift Exchange

I belong to the Bay Area Sampler Guild (California) and each year in January, we draw a name.
We then have all year to figure out what we would like to stitch for that person's Christmas gift, which gets given at the holiday party in November.

Lucky me got Ria, a wonderful friend of mine.

She put on her little hint paper that she likes purple and gold.
Well, I knew she liked knots. And she had taken a trip to Scotland in the spring. And she carries her stitching in these mesh project bags.

I love to make things that have a PURPOSE.(haha I'm thinking of Steve Martin in The Jerk)

So I found the purple mesh bags. Took it apart at the side seams. Stitched the design on linen band. (I first tried to stitch on the mesh. Oh forget that! The gloss the mesh had made it SO DIFFICULT to see, even under the magnifier, so banding won out.) 
Once stitched, I  put it all back together.

I think she really liked it.    :)

Here I am!

Oh I have lots of pictures to share with you! 
Soon though. Right now I'm working on something I found in my mom's things. This is a Blackberry Lane needle book she had started. I finished his back and have been working on the front now.

If you look closely at him, I added some sparkly royal blue filament.
And if you know me, you know I always have to have a bit of sparkles!!!!